The Strength of Faith
By Tammie Welch
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About this ebook
Faith, a college freshman, is living at home with her parents when they discover her sexuality. Not being able to deal with their homophobia, she leaves home and travels across the country to be with her girlfriend. She quickly learns that it isn't as easy to start a life as she had hoped.
Tammie Welch
I am from southern Georgia and still live there with my long time partner. I have been writing in my spare time for years, I enjoy writing poetry and fiction. Difficult Lessons is my first novel, but there are others in the works.
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The Strength of Faith - Tammie Welch
The Strength of Faith
Tammie G. Welch
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2013, Tammie G. Welch
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Dedicated to anyone who has been ostracized for being true to yourself. It can get better, but only if you refuse to give up.
Chapter 1
The smell of the bus overwhelmed me when I boarded. All the scents of different perfumes and lack of hygiene were almost more than I could take. The seats were rough and worn. I almost changed my mind, but I found two vacant seats in the back and quickly occupied one of them. I silently hoped that I didn’t end up sharing the space with someone else. It was going to be a long painful ride and I wanted to be alone to work things out in my head. That hope was quickly dashed.
Is anyone sitting here?
the woman asked.
No,
I responded, keeping my eyes focused on some imaginary object outside the window.
Where ya headin’?
Her Georgia drawl was unmistakable when she spoke.
California,
I whispered without interest in a long conversation.
I assumed she detected my disinterest. She placed her bag on the floor between us and quietly made herself comfortable.
The bus pulled out of the terminal with a jolt and soon we were on the highway. I watched the scenery fly by the window. The thoughts in my head were moving just as fast as the trees on the side of the road. The dark storm clouds matched my mood. I couldn’t erase the earlier events from my memory, as much as I wanted them to go away.
***
Faith, can you come down here. Your mother and I need to talk with you about something important before you head out to the library.
My father’s voice boomed from the bottom of the stairs. He was an intimidating man, even without trying. My little sister and I were always slightly afraid of him, even though he had never done anything to physically harm us.
Be there in a sec,
I called back from my bedroom.
I finished brushing my hair, threw all of my things for the study session in a bag, and headed downstairs. I couldn’t imagine what they wanted. My parents rarely wanted to talk to either my sister or me. They weren’t the nurturing type or the kind that was interested in the daily lives of their kids.
Both of my parents were sitting at the table in the kitchen waiting on me. I sat down, poured a glass of orange juice. I guessed that they were having a dinner party or something and needed Cassie and I to be our darling little selves. I braced myself for the usual speech that we got before one of their events.
Who is Randi?
my father asked immediately.
His question threw me off just bit. The glass of juice was shaking in my hand. I decided it was best if I just put it down.
A friend from school. I’ve told you about her. Why?
How close are you two?
my mother asked.
Pretty close, I guess.
I wasn’t sure where this was going, but my nerves were on edge. My palms were beginning to sweat and I tried to dry them on my jeans.
My father pulled a stack of papers out from under the daily newspaper and laid them down in front of me. I couldn’t hide the shock when I saw what they were.
What are you doing with my e-mails?
I asked defensively.
My father refused to acknowledge the question or the fact that he had invaded my privacy and read my personal letters.
What exactly is the nature of your relationship with this girl?
he asked as if he was a detective interrogating a suspect.
I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I grew angry. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing on the table. Every e-mail that I had ever exchanged with Randi was in front of me in black and white. I guess it was my fault for not deleting them, but I had kept them so that I could go back and read them when I was missing her.
You have no right going through my things. Those are personal. I’m an adult and should have some reasonable expectation of privacy.
Not as long as you still live under our roof,
my mother interjected. Faith, we haven’t raised you like that. You know that a relationship like that is wrong. It has to stop before it goes too far.
My head was spinning out of control. The shock of what was playing out was overwhelming. It was if I was living a nightmare. I knew where the conversation was going and I couldn’t stop it. The tears were welling up in my eyes, but I fought them back. I wasn’t going to break down in front of them.
It hasn’t gone too far, has it?
she asked.
Both of my parents were sitting across from me, glaring. Their eyes on me felt like daggers piercing my skin.
What do you think is too far?
I asked angrily.
Have you had sex with her?
my father interjected.
My father’s blunt question startled me and I felt the heat rise in my face. There was no good way to answer him. If I said no, they would know I was lying. If I admitted to it, things were going to only